Mahasawat is located about 50 kms from Bangkok in the province of Nakhon Pathom which is a provincial hub, where agricultural and horticultural farm produce are sold in their natural state or processed into a range of enticing local delicacies. Nakorn Pathom province is criss-crossed by natural waterways, canals and irrigation ditches and Mahasawat is situated on one of these canals. It is an area which highlights agro tourism including orchid farms, lotus fields and organic orchards.
From the pier beside the Suwannaram Temple, six-seater boats will take you to explore places along the canal. These boats come complete with sunshades and are fully equipped with life jackets.
As you cruise along the canal you’ll get a unique perspective of a different lifestyle including the huge fishing nets suspended above the water.
If you like flowers then you’ll love the orchid farm, where thousands of orchids are grown for the export market. Of course, if you’re resident here, you can buy some to take home. They will be much cheaper than any you can find in Bangkok.
This area is often referred to as the ‘fruit belt’ and both sides of the canal feature orchards where a wide variety of fruit are grown. Many orchards specialize organic fruit and you’ll also be able to visit fields where organic rice is grown. You can take a ride through an orchard on a Thai-style tractor and afterwards enjoy a tasting of whatever seasonal fruit is available.
The riverside is a good place for lunch and you’ll be able to enjoy food with the locals and taste their specialty called Khao-Tung Hna-Tung or Crusty Rice with Shrimp Dip. This is produced in their unique solar cell oven and is worth the trip to Mahasawat just to see this and enjoy the crackling taste of this excellent snack.
Things grow really well in Mahasawat and it is one of the main sources of lotus flowers for the local markets. Lotus flowers form an important part in Buddhist worship and the myriad of temples throughout the greater Bangkok region rely on producers to meet their daily requirements. You can take a punt on a five-acre pond which harvests 3000 flowers per day.
When you’re done you’ll understand Monet’s fascination with water lilies.